Lyrics
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;
Refrain
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin's womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts' oblations.
Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“O Come, Let Us Adore Him” presents the Nativity as an invitation to worship Christ. Each verse gathers another group around Bethlehem: the faithful, angels, shepherds, and Magi. Their movement toward the manger leads repeatedly to the refrain of adoration, keeping the identity of Christ as Lord at the center of the song. The gifts of the Magi and the shepherds’ response broaden the scene from contemplation to active homage.
The lyric also joins the humility of the manger with strong claims about Christ’s divinity. Phrases describing the Son as true God, eternal Light, and the Word appearing in flesh echo John 1:1-14, while the angelic praise and shepherds’ visit follow Luke 2:8-20. Matthew 2:1-11 supports the later picture of the Magi offering gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Together, these scenes make the carol both a retelling of Christ’s birth and a sustained confession of who the child is.
Related Scripture
- Luke 2:8-20 Angels announce Christ’s birth, and the shepherds go to see Him in Bethlehem.
- Matthew 2:1-11 The Magi worship the child and present gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
- John 1:1-14 The eternal Word is identified with God and becomes flesh.